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07Oct
Cameroon to shine at ZAFAA 2010
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 If at the close of 22 October 2010, Cameroon is brought into focus, it would certainly not be a huge surprise. This is because the country via its films and some fine actors has been recognized. The recognition, for now has come by way of nominations into some categories of one of the leading film festivals that project African productions in Europe - African Film Festival and Academic Award (ZAFAA). ZAFAA is a Nigerian initiative run from London.
This year, Cameroon has been nominated in the following categories:
Best short film - 30th Day by Musing Derick.
Best up-coming actress - Nzegge Melanie in A Woman's World produced by Itambi Delphine and directed by Kamwa Anthony
Best supporting actor - Kotti Aloysius in Necessary Crime produced and directed by Njamsi Roland.
Best up-coming actor - Nkwah Kingsley in The Porter produced and directed by Musing Derick.
While Cameroon awaits positive results from ZAFAA 2010, congratulatory messages have been flowing in from members of the country's film family. Via a yahoo forum, fellow filmmakers have been wishing their peer success and envisaging celebrations when the time comes.
30th Day, nominated for the best short film category was projected recently at the Yaounde African Film Festival dubbed Ecrans Noirs. Its producer and director Musing Derick whose film The Porter is sending in a candidate in the best up-coming actor category is also the a author of Cluster, a 2008 selling movie and Nexus, a soon-to-be released 52-episode serial. Meanwhile Itambi Delphine,s A Woman's World was recently screened on Cameroon's national television; CRTV.
Reacting, a happy Musing Derick, now one of Cameroon's highly sought-for directors simply said : "Kindly log on to www.zafaa.com and cast your votes for these nominees so that Cameroon film industry can stand tall and proud."
Below is a full list nomination for the 2010 ZAFAA
Best Lighting A. Private Storm / Nigeria B. Best Honeymoon / Nigeria C. Togetherness Supreme / Kenya
Best Costumier A. Best Honeymoon / Nigeria B. Silent Scandals / Nigeria C. Togetherness Supreme / Kenya
Best Short Film A. 30th Day/Musing Derick T/Cameroon B. Cryptic Lamp/Afolayan Aremu/Nigeria C. Per Second Killer/Nnamdi Patricia Nkem/Nigeria D. Three Zero/Ejim Fortune Kezi/Nigeria
Best Child Actor Male A. Junior Rammal / A Private Storm / Nigeria B. Teddy Onyango / Togetherness Supreme / Cameroon C. Heritage Kehinde / Omo National / Nigeria
Best Child Actor Female A. Treasure Abasi / Champions Of Our Time / Nigeria B. Feyisola Ewulonu / Champions Of Our Time / Nigeria C. Esther Ikenna / A Private Storm / Nigeria D. Imogen Hoggg / The Trinity / Ghana
Best Cinematography A. Togetherness Supreme / Andrew Mungai / Kenya B. Champions Of Our Time / Pindem Lot / Nigeria C. Intimidator / John Osemeka / Nigeria
Best Screenplay A. The Trinity / Pascal Amanfo / Ghana B. Asiri / Daniel Ademinokan / Nigeria C. Emi Mi Emi Re / Ademola Aremu / Nigeria D. Freedom In Chains / Emmanuel Ayalogu / Nigeria
Best Director Indigenious A. Nathan Collett / Togetherness Supreme / Cameroon B. Biodun Olayiwola / Emi Mi Emi Re / Nigeria C. Daniel Ademinokan / Asiri / Nigeria
Best Actor A. Segun Arinze / Champions Of Our Time / Nigeria B. Ekpenyong Bassey Inyang / Freedom In Chains / Nigeria C. Ramsey Nuah Jr. / Private Storm / Nigeria D. Majid Michael / Silent Scandal / Nigeria
Best Supporting Actor A. Majid Michael / The Trinity / Ghana B. Koti Aloysius / Necessary Crime / Ghana C. Charles Inojie / Corporate Maid / Nigeria
Best Film A. Freedom In Chains / Nollywood Concept Promotions Ltd. / Nigeria B. Champions Of Our Time / Macnuel Productions Ltd. / Nigeria C. The Trinity / Gupado Films Ltd/Marhils Production / Ghana D. A Private Storm / Purple Dine Productions / Nigeria
Best Up Coming Actor A. Frankincense Eche-Ben / A Private Storm / Nigeria B. Nkwa Kingsley / The Porter / Ghana C. Paul Frank / Silent Scandal / Nigeria
Best Lead Actress A. Nadia Buari / The Trinity / Ghana B. Ini Edo / Intimidation / Nigeria C. Bimbo Akintola / Freedom In Chains / Nigeria D. Mercy Johnson / Corporate Maid / Nigeria E. Genevieve Nnaji / Silent Scandal/ Nigeria
Best Supporting Actress A. Rekiya Attah / Freedom In Chains / Nigeria B. Ayo Adesanya / Champions Of Our Time / Nigeria C. Tonto Dike /Intimidator / Nigeria D. Kalsoume Sinare / The Trinity / Ghana
Best Film Editing A. Togetherness Supreme / Jesse Elis / Kenya B. The Trinity / Afra Marley / Ghana C. Asiri / Daniel Ademinokan / Nigeria
Best Sound Editing A. Asiri / Shina Onifade / Nigeria B. Togetherness Supreme / Lee Smith / Kenya C. Freedom In Chains / John Adamu / Nigeria D. The Trinity / Akwesi Arhin / Ghana
Best Up Coming Actress A. Chelsea Ezeh / Silent Scandal / Nigeria B. Nzegge Melanie / A Womans World / Cameroon C. Tobi Igbenoba /The Trinity / Ghana
Best Actor Indigenous A. Taiwo Ibikunle / Emi Mi Emi Re / Nigeria B. Wasiu Alabi Pasuma / Asiri / Nigeria C. Wilson Mawa / Togetherness Supreme / Kenya
Best Actres Indigenous A. Martha Kisaka / Togetherness Supreme / Kenya B. Estha Johnson / Emi Me Emi Re / Nigeria C. Doris Simeon Ademinokan / Asiri / Nigeria
Best Film Indigenous A. Asiri / Doris Simeon Ademinokan / Nigeria B. Togetherness Supreme / Mercy Murugi Juria / Kenya C. Emi Me Emi Re / Ademola Aremu / Nigeria D. Omo National / Femi Fadeyi & Daniel Ogunbiyi / Nigeria
Best Comedy Film A. Best Honeymoon / Ikechukwu Onyeka / Nigeria
Best Comedy Actor A. Charles Inojie / Best Honeymoon / Nigeria B. Majid Michael / Best Honeymoon / Nigeria C. Hafiz Oyetore Best Honeymoon / Nigeria
Best Comedy Female A. Ngozi Ezeonu / Best Honeymoon / Nigeria B. Chinyere Nwabueze / Best Honeymoon / Nigeria
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12Sep
Cameroon: Actors’ guild born
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Cameroon now has a film actors' guild. The Actors' Guild of Cameroon (AGC) was created on 28 August 2010 in Muyuka, a small town near Buea, the regional headquarters of the South West. The organization was born amidst an urgent need for actors in Cameroon to come together, identify and assess their problems before charting a way forward.
Meeting under the banner of the South West and Littoral grouping for actors, the film stars presented a newly drafted constitution which will in a subsequent meeting be discussed, amended, adopted and implemented. The said constitution will therefore be binding to all film actors in Cameroon registered under the AGC.
But even before it is adopted, the constitution seems to have started showering hopes as far as the future of persons who practice the art of acting in Cameroon is concerned. For example, the AGC constitution somewhere holds that actors shall be paid 50 per cent of their performance dues before they go on set shooting. Also, they shall be insured and provided with costumes for every production or project. "This is the beginning of good things to happen,'' a Kumba-based actor commented when those clauses were read. Another one said: ''Things will never be the same again.''
Many other provisions in the constitution are expected to solve such immediate problems faced by actors, who hitherto have been at the beg and call of producers and directors. The to-be movie heroes and heroines have usually complained of poor pay, disrespect by producers and directors and unruly attitudes portrayed by shot callers in the industry. The actors have also for a very long time suffered in the doldrums of unpopularity and have never experienced the niceties that come along with fame in the movie world. Consequently, their names have never been big beyond their respective production houses, let alone the industry.
Over two years ago, the umbrella body, Cameroon Film Industry (CFI), meeting in its fourth convention ion Kumba tasked the various zones to create guilds which will eventually sum up to a national actors' guild. The process has been lackluster until the pioneer coordinator for South West and Littoral and Kumba-based Joe Walkie took the bold step of initiating the national body. The 28 August meeting was therefore seen as a kick-off point. When they meet again in November, actors are expected to seal the deal and start implementing resolutions.
During the meeting, Joe Walkie, its main organizer called on actors to show proof of unity and devotedness. "We are artists and need to be treated with dignity. Let's get things done the right way and enjoy our rights thereafter,'' he said. Other speakers included USA-based Cameroonian actor and producer Akim, who urged actors to work hard, but avoid being selfish. He also advised them to make maximum use of their potentials. ON his part, producer Agbor Gilbert, known to have employed several actors via popular productions told the artists that they needed to exercise patience, even when they are going to be disagreeing on some aspects of the guild. "In the Producers' Guild, we disagree, flex muscles at times, but at the end of the day we always agree and move forward,'' the producer of Before the Sunrise revealed.
Delegates to the actors' meeting were treated to four solid presentations aimed at enriching their understanding of salient aspects in acting and the Cameroon film industry. Buea-based inspirational speaker, Orock J.A Junior spoke on packaging while Mofor Clementine reminded actors on the need to be time conscious. Kumba-based actor Maru Gatscaya outlined the tools of an actor while film reporter Ernest Kanjo painted the picture of the Cameroonian star system, by looking at how movie stars are perceived in Cameroon and who such stars are. The meeting was moderated by renowned film distributor and actor Nche Francis of Magic Touch Movies.
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09Jun
Filmmaking in Buea: Herculean task for Mungwa Eric
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 Buea Things may never be the same again for filmmakers in Buea. The near long silence that has characterized the scene in this fast-growing university setting has been broken with the putting in place of a team to henceforth look into filmmaking activities.
The executive body of the Buea branch of the Cameroon Film Industry (CFI) was elected recently with Mungwa Eric, Buea-based development consultant as President. Mungwa will be assisted in the herculean task by Kamwa Anthony (Vice President) and Itambi Delphine (Secretary General). They were trusted to office by a General Assembly comprising producers, directors, actors, technicians in the presence of observers.
Till December 2010, Mungwa and co will have to face the various challenges of the industry and particularly those specific to Buea. The good organization of filmmaking related activities and management of the people involved will definitely be top on the agenda. How actors in the various areas of film production are organized will be his team's major task. This could just start with the creation of guilds for the Buea branch, something that has not succeeded to happen since the coming of CFI in June 2008.
Also, Mungwa and his team are charged with the task of ensuring that films produced in Buea benefit from the widest exposure (media and otherwise). Such film however must be of good technical and artistic quality, in a bid to move away from the hitherto negative impression about Cameroonian movies. "We hope that gradually we would get there...I think it is absolutely necessary," the CFI Buea President said when TIPTOPSTARS quizzed on the possibility of setting up a censors board.
Furthermore, the pioneer elected Buea CFI executive will have to get Buea to the limelight and consolidate its place in movie production quantity wise. This means that Buea will have to open its movie tap let films (good quality) flow like water as is the case in Bamenda, at least for now. "Definitely, expect more films coming from Buea," Mungwa said soon after his team was installed at the Cameroon Cultural Centre in Buea.
These films are expected, not only to feature, but to top at the now famous Fako Film Festival hosted by Buea each year. The life and success of the festival will also depend on CFI Buea's contribution. At his installation, Mungwa mentioned he was going to work hand-in-hand with organizers of the FFF, now Buea pride.
Perhaps, the biggest challenge facing the Mungwa administration will be strengthening the bond existing within the CFI family in Buea. If by the end of their mandate, producers, directors, actors and technicians continue to relate amicably and speak one language as has always been the case, Mungwa and co would have succeeded to make the point. "It's such a huge responsibility that cannot be handled by the Executive Committee alone, rather, all of us have to work as one man and bring in the much desired changed we have clamoured for," he reiterated.
Mungwa Eric is taking the helm of CFI Buea at a time the town is making frantic efforts in film production. With young producers such Agbor Gilbert, Itambi Delphine, Wegmuller Ikome, Noah Epitime, Kamwa Anthony, etc, several outstanding projects have been carried out. They include Before the Sunrise, Blues Kingdom, Land of Shadows, A Woman's World, Not My Will.
Also, Buea runs the most prominent film distribution outfit - Magic Touch whose proprietor, Nche Francis, it's been acknowledged, has contributed enormously to the development of the industry.
The other members of the Mungwa Administration include:....................................
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02Apr
Bassek Ba Khobio face-to-face with Yaounde film critics
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Cameroonian film guru, Bassek Ba Khobio has been describing the dynamics of filmmaking to young critics. The popular filmmaker was speaking at the March 2010 edition of Film-Klub at the Goethe-Institut Kamerun in Yaounde. Bassek was responding to questions on Le Silence de la Foret, a 2001 film he co-directed and produced with Didier Florent Ouenangare. The film is an adaptation from Le Silence de la Foret, a novel by Etienne Goyemide of the Repubic of Central Africa.
 During the discussion, the critics looked into two salient aspects - lighting and performance of the actors. Bassek explained in detail how these aspects were handled in what has been the maiden and biggest film project in the Republic of Central Africa. "It was not easy lighting the forest, but our huge generator and sound lighting system played the trick," he said. "The lighting technician was really competent and did just what was expected of him," Bassek added.
About the actors, the renowned filmmaker explained, "It took us quite some time to drill the Pygmy cast. We had to take time to explain what our mission was and once they were convinced, it became really easy to shoot with them." "We shot the film for nine weeks."
Other aspects of Le Silence de la Foret were discussed between Bassek and the film critics, with the filmmaker providing the clarifications.
Also speaking at the March Film-Klub, Jean-Marie Mollo Olinga, its coordinator said the club was privileged to have in their midst a producer of Bassek's calibre. "That's why we should use such a golden opportunity to learn many more things about filmmaking, to help us in our critique," Mollo said.
On her part, Thekla Worch, Culture Officer at the Goethe-Institut expressed the institution's profound gratitude with the presence of Bassek Ba Kobhio. "We are really honored and also want to thank members of the Film-Klub for coming around once again for the exercise," said Thekla.
The Film-Klub is a gathering of film critics, run by the Goethe-Institut Kamerun in Yaounde. It is made up of film journalists, experts and students. The club was born in sometimes last year after a workshop to initiate Arts journalists into film critique. On the last Wednesday of each month, members meet at the Bastos edifice of the Goethe-Institut to project and appraise films. Among the aspects they appreciate are sound, lighting, shots, theme, performance of actors, etc. On certain occasions, like was the case in March, the directors and producers of the films are themselves present to through more light on their works.
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